First Impressions of Canada's Most Isolated Road [S7-E46]

We've had a lot of warnings about this road, is it open? Oh my god, there are no emergency medical services, drive with care, every time it goes past me like that. The drops on the side of this road are really quite mad, there's not really a lot here, this is the most remote place i've ever been. It's from a barrel! Good morning, today is the day, it's a big day, we're going to head up to the Arctic Circle. It's been one of those things that's been on our bucket list for absolutely ages, but today we're doing it, and we've got the van ready. It's about eight o'clock in the morning, the drive today is going to see us going down lots of dirt roads. We've actually emptied the bathroom cabinet, because of the weight and the back of the cupboard is cracked a bit. And the last thing we want is for it to be falling off! The weather here in Dawson City this morning is looking a little bit cloudy, morning campers and the mosquitoes are rife! Look, i've already got one and i've sprayed and there's millions of them, so i'm going in! Yes we are my friend, we're off! Yeah we're all ready, we're hitting the road! Okay hold on cupboard door's open already, we haven't even set off yet! We've got we've got the rent and connect up balanced up on the ceiling, the roof is open. So for those of you that say we haven't explored Dawson City, you're right, because the plan is that when we come back after completing the Arctic Circle, we're going to come and spend the night here, have a look around the town and just enjoy it. It is absolutely beautiful, proper old school buildings, but i just love, look at these look at these coloured buildings here, it's just got such a cool old school feel. We've got about 25 miles on this road until we turn off to start the Dempster Highway. When we were in the visitors centre yesterday, they gave us a little book with a map of the route and useful points of interest. Apparently there is a petrol station right at the beginning of the Dempster Highway, so that will be the last one, so we're going to fill up there before we start the drive today. These piles of rocks are actually from the gold digging days, and they've just still got piles left from when they're panning the river and dredging the rivers. There is a nearby airport and you can just see a little flight coming into land, you get a chance to fly up here if you're not road tripping, it's a very cool city. There you go, just driving past the airport we were talking about. Yukon Air, that was the plane that landed, that's the first sign that I've seen that says moose collision warning. It's obvious there's obviously a lot of accidents on this road from moose. It seems like prime land though, very flat with lots of juicy grass. Yeah we've had a lot of warnings about this road, so not great when it's just started raining. It's a very grey day, unfortunately some things you just can't control, and when you're travelling and road tripping, if it's a grey day, it's a grey day. It would have looked so much better with bright blue skies, but hopefully things brighten up a little bit as we head north. There you go, the Tom Tom says 3.1 miles to the Dempster Highway. Hopefully there's a petrol station at the beginning and the book's right, if not we'll have to turn back to town. Okay that is the petrol station, is it open? Oh my god, it's pay at the pump! We should be good, we've had so many problems in America, not having our card accepted at the pump, but usually in Canada it's all right. Processing, fingers crossed, authorising, approved! Yes it worked, otherwise we'd be going back to town. We are all fuelled up and the adventure is beginning, this right here is the beginning of the Dempster Highway. There's Trudy, there is a warning sign, Eagle Travel Advisory, extreme dusty conditions, and that is the Dempster Highway sign. It ain't going to be dusty looking at this, I think we might have mud warnings in the in the future looking at this rain. So right at the start of the Dempster Highway, they've got this recovery truck, where they've obviously recovered vehicles, this one's all smashed up, this one's got no wheels, what are we getting ourselves into? So here you go, there's a sign here, notice there are no emergency medical services on the Yukon section of the Dempster Highway, drive with care! We chose this road because they got less trucks, but we're just letting the truck go, we thought we'd let the trucks go, because they're more likely to flick up the stones. And Andy had exactly the same view as me, we both just like pointed off. They've also got a Fiat Ducato van, so we're just very aware and being really super careful. So the first stretch of the road here on the Dempster Highway is paved, it's looking good so far, I am not sure how long it's going to last for, because we have been warned that this road should be renamed what? The Michelin? Oh it's literally, it only lasted for a few feet! We're on to the windscreen breaker roads! Literally one minute later there's another truck powering down, so we'll slow down and let him go, the last thing we want is a windscreen breaking! Oh my goodness! Every time he goes past me like that! Okay so first impressions of the road, it's pretty good, it's a dirt road, gravel, rocks, it is a bit bumpy, and we're going about 20 miles an hour at the moment, we don't want any more bits to fall off! Slow and steady as we say, always wins the race! I did 22! We did actually meet a couple who were really sweet, and they were saying to us that they were worried about their windscreen as well, but actually they ended up getting three chips on the road from chicken, on top of the world highway, yeah so i think it's just something that happens here in this part of the world, they've got the markers by the side of the road as we're driving along. Marker 24, feels like we've gone a lot further than 24 miles, but as we're doing about 25 miles an hour, that's about an hour's drive! Yeah 25 miles an hour seems to be the sweet spot, where things aren't rattling to the point that they might fall off. So far so good, although our awning is rattling a little bit, the guys behind are keeping up cool, we're all doing good, but what a view! Tread the globe to Barking Man! Just seeing how you're doing and making sure you're not getting too shaken! Okay less about your moves, is the van good? Yeah it's fine, we're fine. Nice the rain stopped and it's brightened up a bit now, we've got mountains coming into view, stunning views, on a clear day you'd be able to see for absolutely miles down this valley. We're just going to check that the awning's fully done up, because it's rattling a bit. No it's done up, it's done up, it's just rattling! We've also just taken the the table off, just because it was rattling a lot on the bracket, and it's so muddy, everything's muddy! I'm literally losing the will to clean! Listen how quiet it is! Andy just messaged and said it's absolutely silent outside, and I said that's because the mosquitoes ate them! The mosquitoes are super bad! Right let's hit the road again! What's going to fall off? The awning, the door, the tire rack, the side doors dropped! The side door has dropped, it might come off! Let's just load it all in and keep going! My goodness! So the Dempster Highway is Canada's only road open all year, that runs to the Arctic Ocean. Can you even imagine the Arctic Ocean? I think we have miles and miles of wilderness ahead of us! We both felt that this was an opportunity that we really wanted to go for, we don't know if or when we'll be back in this region of the world. Yeah we'd heard so much about these roads, and we were both you know, tread the globe, we're going to do it, we're adventurous, but we also have quite a lot of nerves, because we need to look after Trudy, and we need her to be all right for the rest of the trip. And we have been, some people have warned us that this road is you know like car killers, and other people have said you'll be absolutely fine, a bit like when we drove up those roads in Georgia possibly. So we're committed to the Arctic Circle, and I think then we'll reassess and see how it goes. You know stupid, brave, confident, crazy, you know everybody has to make their own decisions, and live with those choices. Yeah and some people watching this may think of us one way or the other, but it's our adventure, and we really set ourselves our own channels, and our own challenges. So we're just going to go with it and see aren't we? Yeah absolutely, and you know as we always say, if you don't push yourself to those those uncomfortable situations, then you don't experience them, and it's so easy to say you know, hey it's a little bit out of our comfort zone, we're not going to do it. Whereas we try when we go, it's a little bit out of our comfort zone, that we're just going to go for it, and so that's exactly what we're doing, and we hope that you enjoy coming along with us, on this epic little mini adventure that we're doing. There's a truck camper that just just passed, and because we're pulled up by the side of the road, they just put the thumbs up just to make sure we're all right. There's a real feeling of camaraderie on these sort of roads, and everybody just makes sure everybody else is okay, which is really really nice, but that's what travel should be like right? Yeah in fact at the centre, Dawn when we asked about is there any AA rescue services, anything like that, not really expecting any answers that there would be, but she said no but the tourists will all stop and help, and that's actually true, it's very true, it is true, so we all help each other. Wow the view today is really getting pretty spectacular now, amazing view over the mountains here, yeah must be okay. So we're looking ahead, we can see the roads going all the way over this the top of this mountain here, so we're we're going to go up through the valley somewhere about there. So we've just seen a centre, an interpretive centre, so we thought we'd just go and see what it's all about. We're so British, there's only two cars in the car park, and we're still following the directional arrows! We are behaving hugely, we are! They didn't, they're in a Spanish van, they didn't follow the rules! You're so naughty! Chris just said on camera, we're so British, there's only two vans in the thing, and look at us all following the arrows, and we come round and you're there and we're like .... I just took it off because it's magnetic! I was just saying we've lost our American flag, but Marianne's taken it off! I took it off because it's a magnet and it's rubbing, and we've actually got a rusty patch on the back door, where our GB magnetic was, because it rubbed and it actually got some sand on it. Are we warm enough? How's the road so far? It's good, it's good! It's all right isn't it? Look how dirty the van is! Our van's never been so dirty! I know the vans are like crazy! I can't believe how grubby ours is! And the back, the back is even worse! We've only just started! We've only done the first hour! Okay so this is the interpretive centre, I'm not sure what it is, but we're gonna go and find out! And there's a little tour, so you can get tours up here, there's a little tour bus that's just arrived, with some tourists coming. So yeah that was absolutely amazing, the centre's very cool, it's got information about the the local area, about hiking, there is no medical services up here for hikers, they said if you hike, make sure you are prepared. The kids watched an informative video, and they've even got a log fire burning, so we're able to warm up, that shows you how much the temperatures have dropped, but anyway we're going to continue our adventure north. Check this view out, we're actually literally just about to go up into the clouds, what a view! Honestly, definitely worth doing this road so far! There's another lorry incoming, oh he wasn't going fast, and he waved! We were just saying how we love these adventures, these roads less travelled, the roads where you don't see so many cars, where most tourists wouldn't normally come, and it's always these adventures, that give us the best memories, the best stories. I'm just loving today, and we're really feeling like we are in the middle of nowhere. We've just spotted this little pull off, so we're going to stop and make a bit of lunch, because it's one o'clock, and we're all starving, especially the kids. How are we doing? Don't open the windows! Oh my god! There are so many mosquitoes! They're just there! Look there is millions of mosquitoes! We're just washing up! Beautiful! The last bit was not great, but you know, as we know, as professional drivers, we just need to slow down at the really really bumpy bit. Yeah absolutely! Okay after a fantastic lunch of leftover lentil curry, which tasted pretty good to be fair, we are now hitting the road again. So check this out for a big wide open space, that just seems to go on forever and ever! Yay 100 miles done! Only 900 to go! There you go, Eagle Lodge 261 and Inuvik 633 Is that kilometres? Kilometres! Yeah in Canada, everything's done in kilometres, and the US is in miles! There you go! We've just spotted a moose wallowing in the lake, so we're going to stop and take a photo, it's huge! And the name of this lake is Tumus Lake, I can only see one, but it's huge! And Chris, Sam, Andy and the kids, everybody's run out to to photograph it. Soft edge, soft verge. Are we slowed down? Just driving along, you've still got loads of snow and ice in the riverbed here, that shows you how far north we're starting to get. I can't believe you're taking one for the team, you are getting absolutely swamped with mosquitoes! Can you feel them attacking you? I have, I've got one right here, I've sprayed so much mosquito spray on, and they're still just like, I don't care I'm going to get you! I've got Lizzie and James in the van! How cool is that? So we've decided to go on our own road trip, but actually no, Colin their family van, their home on wheels, is just behind us with Chris. These views are getting better and better! We just literally just saw a bear cross the road, but it was by the time we got there, we just had a quick view of its backside, so we didn't catch it on camera, but it was a huge brown bear! I just had to stop to show you this river, look at the colour of those rocks, and that's from all the minerals coming down from the mountains. Isn't that cool? Yay the sun's come out! This road is bonkers, the drops on the side of this road are really quite mad, you don't want to go off the edge, and it's getting a little bit more bumpy. Check this out, this is where the two rivers meet, and you can see all the coloured water that we saw coming in, and now it's merged into this huge river here. Half the river's brown, and half the river's not brown. Isn't that cool? And what a cool bridge! That is epic, you can see what the two rivers meet! Yeah and you can see straight through the floor! When you think how long we've been driving today, it's 6.20 in the evening, this road is really a feat of engineering, I mean through this dense forest, vegetation, mountains, to have built this road and to keep it going, I think is very very impressive. Yeah whilst we're driving along, we've taken advice from a few travellers that have already done this road, and every single one of them have said, there are rocks that are really sharp, flinty, and they are the danger that you will get punches. So I'm just being really careful to scan the road, and avoid anything really sharp or pointy. Okay we're van swapping, we're van swapping, we're going to have a sensible guys road trip now, and the ladies can go together. Okay Howdy kids! So it's not very often I get to sit behind and watch Trudy, but we are behind Trudy, going over the Brothers hill. Fantastic views, we're actually pretty high up now, and it feels funny to be on this side of the road, filming up this side of the van. And Captain Andy is doing a fabulous job, slow and steady wins the race on these roads. So Andy and I were just saying that this is one of those trips, that you won't forget, it's one of those when you're old in the pub going, do you remember the time we drove to the Arctic Circle? No bumper, no tyres, smash windscreen, all the cupboards fell down, lost the kids, but yeah other than that it was a great trip. It's interesting to see the difference, because their motorhome definitely rattles more than Trudy does, but it's still in one piece at the moment. So far so good, we're only like a quarter of the way there. So there you go, if you thought we were mad, Marianne's just stopped to talk to a cyclist, she just said on the radio, he cycled up to the Arctic Ocean and now he's cycling back. So we're not the only bonkers people in the World. We're the best! Is that right? 10 to 9? 10 to 9. Oh my god it's 10 to 9 p.m, Arctic Circle is 93! This is Eagle Plains, this is the town we've been trying to get to, there's not really a lot here. That's the gas station! That is the gas station! There's no pay at the pump here, that's for sure! I'm so disappointed! Is it all diesel? Is that it? Oh my god! This is the tap, this is the tap! It's from a barrel! Does it not extend cars? What the barrel? This is so ... look! It's from a barrel! Look at the car wash! How cool is that? There's a man coming! If he fills us up we'll be good to go! This is the most remote place I've ever been! Look at this dust! That's crazy! Look on here as well! Look! Oh my goodness! Okay so it's half past 10 at night, and we're parked outside the Eagle Plains Hotel. Marianne's just going to go and have a chat with them, to see what time the petrol station opens in the morning. There is a campground here, so we're going to figure out if we can park up the campground, and how much it is. And it's still daylight! I can't believe it! Oh he said we could sleep here? I said we're just parked outside, do we have to go to the campsite? Or can we just leave it? Can we just park here and we'll leave at 8 in the morning to fill up to go? And he said that just makes sense. Oh my god! I cannot believe how much dust is in this van! So this is the table that was actually upside down on our bed, it's protected the bed! Mental! And I think because our door's got a little gap, and it's dropped down, so the dust must be blowing in, so we're going to have to try and block or re-slam that door tomorrow. Maybe it wasn't closed properly, I'm not sure. Look! Cooker top! Oh my god! Okay so we've cooked dinner, we've come into Sam and Andy's van, and I reckon we should cheers for today guys, because I reckon we've done a good job! How many hours driving? 14 hours! 14 hours drive and we've arrived at the town of Eagle Plains! I lose the term town lightly! But they very kindly let us stay, it's nearly midnight, and I would just like you to see, how light it is, and how hard it is to actually sleep when it's like this! But the good news is the gas station guys, opens at eight o'clock tomorrow morning! Yep the lovely people at the hotel, confirmed it's open at eight o'clock in the morning, and also said just park in the car park it's fine! And we've only got about 30 miles I think to the Arctic Circle, so we are nearly there! At about five and a half to 10 miles an hour! Anyway I reckon it's time to have a drink, eat dinner, so we will see you in the morning!